Parents welcome school assistance

As the new school year draws closer, Lusiana Domimereke, 31, anticipates Government’s $200 Back-to-School Assistance.

She prays for its timely arrival to properly prepare her children for school.

Especially when Ms Domimereke and her children live in Nanuku Settlement at Vatuwaqa, an area labelled as a red zone in Suva, where many families scrape through daily because of struggles with rising living costs.

This year, three of her four children will attend primary school. Her eldest will be in Year Four, the second in Year Two, and the third at kindergarten. They have enroled at Swami Shraddhanand Memorial School in Nabua.

Her husband is a fisherman.

“When there is fish, there is money. When there is none, there is nothing,” she said.

She said the $200 assistance helped parents start of the school year.

“This is a big help for us parents, especially low-income families like ours,” she said.

“I will buy stationery, uniforms, shoes and school bags for my children,” she said.

“School costs do not wait, but our income depends on the weather and the catch,” she said.

“At least our children can start school properly, just like other children,” she said.

She urged parents to use the Government assistance responsibly.

“This money is for the children. Parents should use it well so their children are ready for the school year,” she said.